The Jayich Lab in the UCSB Physics Department develops new quantum technologies and addresses fundamental questions in physics by controlling single quantum states of trapped ions. An ion trap is subtly powerful: the trap cares only about a particle’s charge and mass, leaving the trap insensitive to the trapped atom or molecule’s internal structure. A trapped atomic or molecular ion with exotic or complex internal structure may be prepared in a single quantum state and read out with a combination of electromagnetic fields and co-trapped “control” ions.